Rabbi's Message

Rabbi Elyse Wechterman
Read about the Rabbi
Sept. 2004

August has come so quickly - I have barely had time to enjoy the summer. I'm sure, like many of you, I accomplished far less than I had hoped; read far fewer books, spent fewer days in the sun and less time with my children than I envisioned way back in June.

How many times do we arrive at a new season with hopes, plans and expectations only to realize months later that most of them did not come to fruition? "Life happens while you are making other plans," someone once said.
Much like the New Year's resolutions we made in January or the promises we spoke last Rosh Hashana - we fully intended at the time to follow through, to make the right choices when it came to our priorities. And yet somehow, it often just doesn't happen.

Luckily, the Jewish tradition provides us many opportunities during the year to recommit ourselves to our highest ideals and expectations (one way to understand teshuvah or repentance). It also seems to expect that we will never fully live up to those ideals at all. After all, one of our most beloved prayers from this season is Kol Nidre, recited on Erev Yom Kippur. Kol Nidre is simply a preemptory annulment of any vows we are likely to meet in the coming year. It is almost as if to say that try as hard as we might, we are essentially human and imperfect. We can come close to our ideals, but never fully meet them.

This isn't, however, an excuse not to try. The rabbis teach that God created teshuvah before creating the rest of the world. The possibility of return and renewal is ever present - built into the very fabric of the universe. We can go on trying, knowing that the effort and the journey are often their own reward. I'm sure I will finish those novels during Winter break.

Speaking of renewing our commitments, many people have talked with me about a desire to recommit to Jewish learning and study. This year, we are offering more programs for adults than ever before. From Basic Judaism and classes in Reconstructionism; parenting workshops and family life seminars; programs for seniors and teens, book and craft groups, we have it all. Please take time to check out the descriptions in this newsletter or read our Adult Offerings brochure and sign up for a class today.

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